If you have spent anytime outdoors in the summer then you know when its mosquito feeding time. The application of lidar to studying mosquito populations helped show “rush hour” is probably mostly dependent on light conditions. The new lidar tech can easily and accurately track large amounts of insects.

Via Scientific American:

The study tested an entomological lidar type Brydegaard invented, which is used around the world. In his system, each insect flying through a lidar beam reflects light back into a telescope. The light, called backscatter, can be analyzed to find the frequency of wingbeats, which lets researchers determine the numbers and species of insects passing through. The team was able to identify mosquitoes, moths, flies and midges—and could even differentiate between male and female mosquitoes.

The scientists say lidar installations could raise malaria risk alerts, as a weather station can warn of impending storms. And tracking mosquitoes is just one application of the technology; it could also be used to detect pollinator diversity and monitor pests on farms or in protected areas, Brydegaard says.

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